His day — His birth — day, in vain do some endeavour to excuse this and the following speeches of Job, who afterwards is reproved by God, and severely accuseth himself for them, Job 38:2, Job 40:4, Job 13:3, Job 13:6. And yet he does not proceed so far as to curse God, but makes the devil a liar: bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the day — Let the remembrance of that day be utterly lost.... [ Continue Reading ]
Darkness — I wish the sun had never risen upon that day, or, which is all one, that it had never been; and whensoever that day returns, I wish it may be black, and gloomy, and uncomfortable. Regard — From heaven, by causing the light of the sun which is in heaven to shine upon it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Death — A black and dark shadow like that of the place of the dead, which is a land of darkness. Slain — Take away its beauty and glory. Terrify — That is, men in it. Let it be always observed as a frightful and dismal day.... [ Continue Reading ]
Darkness — Constant and extraordinary darkness, without the least glimmering of light from the moon or stars. Be joined — Reckoned as one, or a part of one of them.... [ Continue Reading ]
The day — Their birth — day: when their afflictions move them to curse their own birth — day, let them remember mine also, and bestow some curses upon it. Mourning — Who are full of sorrow, and always ready to pour out their cries, and tears, and complaints.... [ Continue Reading ]
The stars — Let the stars, which are the glory and beauty of the night, be covered with thick darkness, and that both in the evening twilight, when the stars begin to shine; and also in the farther progress of the night, even 'till the morning dawns. Look — Let its darkness be aggravated with the di... [ Continue Reading ]
It — The night or the day: to which those things are ascribed which were done by others in them, as is frequent in poetical writings. Womb — That it might never have brought me forth. Nor hid — Because it did not keep me from entering into this miserable life, and seeing, or experiencing, these bitt... [ Continue Reading ]
The knees — Why did the midwife or nurse receive and lay me upon her knees, and not suffer me to fall upon the bare ground, 'till death had taken me out of this miserable world, into which their cruel kindness hath betrayed me? Why did the breasts prevent me from perishing through hunger, or supply... [ Continue Reading ]
Kings — I had then been as happy as the proudest monarchs, who after all their great achievements and enjoyments, go down into their graves. Built — Who to shew their wealth and power, or to leave behind them a glorious name, rebuilt ruined cities, or built new cities and palaces, in places where be... [ Continue Reading ]
Hidden — Undiscerned and unregarded. Born before the due time. Been — In the land of the living.... [ Continue Reading ]
There — In the grave. The wicked — The great oppressors and troublers of the world cease from their vexations, rapins and murders. Weary — Those who were here molested and tired out with their tyrannies, now quietly sleep with them.... [ Continue Reading ]
The oppressor — Or, taskmaster, who urges and forces them to work by cruel threatenings and stripes. Job meddles not here with their eternal state after death, of which he speaks hereafter, but only their freedom from worldly troubles, which is the sole matter of his present discourse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Small and great — Persons of all qualities and conditions. Are there — In the same place and state, all those distinctions being forever abolished. A good reason, why those who have power should use it moderately, and those that are in subjection should take it patiently.... [ Continue Reading ]
Light — The light of life. Bitter — Unto those to whom life itself is bitter and burdensome. Life is called light, because it is pleasant and serviceable for walking and working; and this light is said to be given us, because it would be lost, if it were not daily renewed to us by a fresh gift.... [ Continue Reading ]
Dig — Desire with as much earnestness as men dig for treasure: but it is observable, Job durst not do anything to hasten or procure his death: notwithstanding all his miseries, he was contented to wait all the days of his appointed time, 'till his change came, Job 14:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
Glad, &c. — To be thus impatient of life, for the sake of the trouble we meet with, is not only unnatural in itself, but ungrateful to the giver of life, and shews a sinful indulgence of our own passion. Let it be our great and constant care, to get ready for another world: and then let us leave it... [ Continue Reading ]
Hid — From him; who knows not his way, which way to turn himself, what course to take to comfort himself in his miseries. Hedged in — Whom God hath put as it were in a prison, so that he can see no way or possibility of escape.... [ Continue Reading ]
Before, &c. — Heb. before the face of my bread, all the time I am eating, I fall into sighing and weeping, because I am obliged to eat, and to support this wretched life, and because of my uninterrupted pains of body and of mind, which do not afford me one quiet moment. Roarings — My loud outcries,... [ Continue Reading ]
Feared — Even in the time of my prosperity, I was full of fears, considering the variety of God's providences, the changeableness of this vain world, God's justice, and the sinfulness of all mankind. And these fears of mine, were not in vain, but are justified by my present calamities.... [ Continue Reading ]
Quiet — I did not misbehave myself in prosperity, abusing it by presumption, and security, but I lived circumspectly, walking humbly with God, and working out my salvation with fear and trembling. Therefore in this sense also, his way was hid, he knew not why God contended with him.... [ Continue Reading ]